The week ahead in Parliament

Peers are on a collision course with the government over the Internal Market Bill

Events, dear boy, events...

Next week's Westminster agenda may look pretty tame, but pandemic developments and brinkmanship in the Brexit talks can be expected to trigger statements and urgent questions in the Commons.

And fuelled by the mayhem within Downing Street's inner circle, expect plenty of probing to discover what all the infighting portends for the key policy choices confronting the PM.

If the Vote Leave crowd are really on the way out, what does that mean for a possible deal with the EU?

Will the PM change course on dealing with the pandemic? And will it foreshadow a kinder, gentler approach to parliament and parliamentarians?

Meanwhile the main scheduled Westminster event to watch out for is the continuing evisceration of the UK Internal Market Bill in the Lords - possibly setting up a full-scale clash with the government, as ministers mobilise their Commons majority to undo the changes made in the Lords.

Unless a deal with the EU gets everyone off the hook, the result could be a rare outing for the Parliament Act - the cumbersome mechanism which allows the Commons to override the Lords.... not used, since Tony Blair tanked through his hunting legislation nearly 20 years ago.

Here are some points to watch out for next week:

• Well-timed: the cumbersomely named Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC for short) has been taking evidence from gnarled veterans of several premierships on the workings of Downing Street - and their session this week, with Tony Blair's Grand Vizier, Jonathan Powell, and Fiona Hill, one of Theresa May's ruling duo, among others, shone some fascinating light on the testosterone-fuelled world of the prime ministerial court, and especially of the problems that come when a campaign team morphs into a new administration, and has to learn how to govern. With the palace intrigues at Downing Street boiling over, this is more than just a handy primer on how the very core of government works. Stay tuned for more.

• Mogg rules: so far the Leader of the Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, has fended off calls to bring back online voting and virtual participation in all Commons proceedings, and he can probably continue to hold that line if the current coronavirus restrictions are ended on schedule in December. But the pressure from MPs who are shielding is growing. This week's complaint from former minister Tracey Crouch, who's being treated for breast cancer, that she was barred from taking part virtually in a debate on breast cancer, was a very uncomfortable moment for Mr Rees-Mogg

• Standards deviation: the Commons Standards Committee rules on complaints of breaches of the MPs' Code of Conduct - and as part of the response to the expenses scandal, it now has lay members - non-MPs who are there to ensure that its decisions are not contaminated by political favouritism or persecution. A new member, Professor Michael Maguire, was appointed this week, but another nomination, Melanie Carter, was blocked by Mr Rees-Mogg "pending continuing conversations". He cites "disquiet in certain quarters as well as wider concerns over the recruitment process". The Committee has put down a motion to appoint her as a lay member, for next Wednesday, but because it has to be moved by a minister, the motion may not be debated. The concern is that Ms Carter was a member of the Labour Party, and would be appointed to a disciplinary role in Parliament. Mr Rees-Mogg says he would be just as concerned if she were a Conservative. The result was a rather irritable mini-debate last Wednesday - which may well be followed by, at the very least, an irritable exchange of points of order this Wednesday. Standards Committee Chair Chris Bryant, a Labour MP, seems pretty angry.

• Getting to know Joe: ever so discretely, MPs are seeking to tap their contacts with US Democrats to get a sense of what President-Elect Biden will do in office. I spotted one figure, apparently an Obama-era national security official, being ushered into the Parliamentary offices to meet a key Tory backbencher - and I'm sure scores more conversations are taking place, and some may prompt interventions in either House.

And here's my rundown of the week ahead:

Monday 16 November

MPs open (14:30) with an hour of Housing, Communities and Local Government Questions.

After that, expect the usual crop of post-weekend ministerial statements and urgent questions; Brexit update, anyone?

The main legislative action is the Report and Third Reading consideration of the Pension Schemes Bill - which would provide for a framework for a new form of pension scheme known as a Collective Money Purchase Scheme.

Labour have amendments down to require the government to bring forward proposals to regulate pension super-funds, to require people to be offered advice on their pension five years before it becomes due, and to require UK pension schemes to be carbon-neutral by 2050, aligning with the Paris agreement goals of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner.

In Westminster Hall (16:30) the Petitions Committee has scheduled two debates.

Firstly on e-petition 307339, which states "As the coronavirus escalates, there are concerns that a trade deal between the UK Government and the US might not exempt our NHS, leaving it vulnerable to privatisation and in direct contradiction to promises this would not happen."

Then, at 18:00, the committee turns to a series of e-petitions on university tuition fees - calling for repayment or reduction in fees, because of the impact of lecturers' strikes and the pandemic.

On the Committee Corridor, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (16:30) will hear from Defra Minister Rebecca Pow and Transport Minister Rachel Maclean about progress on reducing air pollution, the Clean Air Strategy and Clean Air Zones.

The committee will also scrutinise health inequalities linked to poor air quality, public transport, active travel, and the challenges of promoting economic recovery while protecting air pollution and supporting business innovation.

In the Lords (13.00), questions cover the impact on the spread of Covid-19 on students returning to their universities, the process for child victims of trafficking seeking leave to remain in the UK, plans to remove visa requirements for visitors to the UK from Peru and incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into UK law.

Peers will then yomp through a series of EU Exit regulations: the first three (to be debated together) are on Road vehicles and non-road mobile machinery; on Road vehicle carbon dioxide emission performance standards for cars and vans; and on new heavy-duty vehicles.

These are followed by statutory instruments on European qualifications for health and social care professions and on reciprocal and cross-border health care.

Tuesday 17 November

The Commons day begins, (11:30), with Health and Social Care Questions.

Tuesday's Ten Minute Rule Bill, from Conservative former International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell, would require the government to produce a report on whether the UK should finance the training of two doctors or nurses for every one recruited to work in this country from developing countries - essentially to create a mechanism to prevent poorer countries being stripped of expensively trained medical professionals.

The main event will be the Second Reading of the National Security and Investment Bill.

The UK is almost unique amongst major Western economies in not already having stand-alone foreign investment legislation - and this Bill would give the government power to scrutinise and intervene in takeovers of strategically important companies.

It would also give ministers a power to "call in" transactions for review; and the government's Impact Assessment estimates that it would result in 1,000 to 1,830 transactions being notified per year.

MPs will continue their inquiry into left-behind white pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

In Westminster Hall, (09:30), the SNP's Gavin Newlands leads a debate on the Covid-19 outbreak and employment rights - and keep an eye on the debate on government policy on Iran (14:30) which looks like a show of strength by Conservative MPs concerned that ministers are too soft.

It's a busy day on the Committee Corridor: Health and Social Care (09:30) focus on workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care, with the BMA's Dr Chaand Nagpaul plus witnesses from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the mental health charity Mind, and others.

Education, (10:00), takes evidence from head teachers and school governors on left-behind white pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs continue their suddenly rather topical look at the core of Whitehall, with a session on the work of the Cabinet Office (09:30) with former Cabinet Secretary Lord Sedwill,

Defence (14:00) looks at Defence industrial policy with the Minister for Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin.

International Development (14:00) quizzes Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, James Cleverly, on the government's action to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector.

In the Lords (12:00) proceedings open with the introduction of the former Joint-General Secretary of Unite, Lord (Tony) Woodley.

Questions to ministers range across a report by the Children's Commissioner which called for the government to change the law to stop councils placing under-18s in care in unregulated accommodation; reform of the law on marriage and religious weddings and publication of the outcome of the Williams Rail Review

Then, it's legislating time: First, the Report Stage and Third Reading of the Social Security Bill , which would allow the Government to uprate the basic state pension and other benefits in the 2021/22 tax year, even if earnings do not increase.

There are no amendments expected so it will be brief. Next it's the Report Stage of the Fire Safety Bill, the post-Grenfell measure which aims to clarify who is responsible for the safety of the structure and external walls, including cladding, in multi-occupied, residential buildings.

There are amendments on Fire Safety Orders, short-term lettings premises, electrical appliance registers and public registers of fire safety assessments.

The Lords special select committee looking at life after Covid-19, (10:30), will quiz a series of experts on the way life and work has moved online during the pandemic and the implications for the way we will be living in two to five years' time.

Wednesday 18 November

MPs start their day, (11:30), with half an hour of Wales questions, before moving on to Prime Minister's Question Time.

The day's Ten Minute Rule Bill, from Labour MP Steve McCabe, aims to tighten permitted development planning regulations, which normally allow homeowners to add a conservatory, a granny flat or an extra bedroom, so they cannot be used by developers to destroy existing family homes and create unregulated hostels for profit.

The main business is another of the Commons regular debates on the pandemic - and there may be consideration of Lords amendments to any number of bills.

It may not occasion actual debate in the Chamber, but watch out for some action around the appointment of lay members to the MPs' disciplinary body, the Standards Committee. As discussed above, almost unnoticed this week, ministers blocked the appointment of one of the lay members recommended to join the committee.

Committee action includes Northern Ireland Affairs (09:30) quizzing Naomi Long, the Minister of Justice in the Northern Ireland Executive, on cross-border co-operation on policing, security and criminal justice after Brexit.

Home Affairs (10:00) continues its inquiry into Channel crossings, migration and asylum-seeking routes through the EU while Transport (09:30) speaks to industry figures about emergency Covid measures for the railways.

The Treasury Committee (14:30) takes evidence from experts, think tanks and pressure groups on Tax after coronavirus, while Human Rights (15:00) quizzes Secretary of State for Justice, Robert Buckland.

In the Lords (12:00), ministers face questions on the treatment of migrants and asylum seekers at the border of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina; plans for campaigns on behaviour change before the COP 26 climate change conference and the appointment of a Cabinet-level minister to coordinate government policy on families

Then, fresh from having struck out its controversial "limited and specific" law-breaking clause at Committee Stage, peers being Report Stage consideration of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill - where ministers will face a deluge of amendments on the proposed powers to police and maintain the UK's internal market.

Committee Stage debates revealed some serious concerns about the Bill's impact on the devolution settlement, which the Business Minister Lord Callanan seems to be attempting to counter with amendments of his own, to require consultation with the devolved governments. If the critics are not mollified, there may not be much left of this Bill, by the time the proposed three days of Report consideration are over.

Thursday 19 November

The Commons opens (09:30) with International Trade Questions, followed by the weekly House Business Statement from the Leader of the Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg

The main debate - chosen by the Backbench Business Committee - is on International Men's Day.

In Westminster Hall, (13:30), there's a debate on fuel poverty and energy price caps.

On the Committee Corridor, Public Accounts (10:00) picks through the 2018-9 Whole of Government Accounts with Treasury Permanent Secretary, Sir Tom Scholar.

This is the government's balance sheet covering all spending, borrowing and liabilities across 5,000 public bodies, from schools, HS2 and Network Rail, to the Bank of England.

It shows future risks and liabilities including the hole in the defence budget, medical liabilities and unfunded pensions. It's increasingly seen as a vital tool for managing government.

In the Lords, (12:00), ministers will be questioned on returning to face-to-face appointments on demand for medical patients, financial support for research into treatments for brain tumours and encouraging fossil fuel intensive businesses to accelerate their move to net zero carbon emissions

Next, there's ping-pong with the Commons over the Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill, a measure that was heavily amended by peers, only for their amendments to be undone in the Commons.

The central issue is the use of "Henry VIII powers" which would allow new offences to be created by secondary legislation. This is followed by two EU Exit statutory instrument approval motions: on law enforcement and security in Northern Ireland and on customs, safety and security registration and identification.

Friday 20 November

Neither house will sit.